Archive for the 'Clusters' Category

Plans for a port-based cluster of wood-based industries in Paradip

Clusters, IDCO, Jagatsinghpur, Odisha govt. action, Paradip - Jatadhari - Kujanga Comments Off on Plans for a port-based cluster of wood-based industries in Paradip

Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.

The state government is planning to set up a port-based cluster of wood-based industries in Paradip on the Kandla model. The hub will manufacture wooden products with imported timber and market them within and outside the country.

“The entrepreneurs will set up their units with their own funds. We will facilitate the project by providing land and other infrastructure. The state run Industrial Development Corporation has earmarked 100 acres of land for the purpose,” said industries minister Raghunath Mohanty.

“The beauty of the project is that the wood-based units will use timber imported from South Africa, New Zealand and West Indies. The proposal is on the lines of Kandla project in Gujarat where several wood-based industries are operating. The entire raw material is imported from outside,” said forest and environment minister Debi Prasad Mishra.

ASSOCHAM proposes 16 new PPP based clusters in Odisha

Balasore, Bhadrakh, Clusters, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, MSE - medium and small enterprises, MSMEs, Puri Comments Off on ASSOCHAM proposes 16 new PPP based clusters in Odisha

Following is from a report in Economic Times by Nageshwar Patnaik.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) on Wednesday proposed setting up of 16 new clusters on public-private partnership [PPP] in Orissa each accommodating about 1000 units and providing direct and indirect employment close to 4 lakh people.

Releasing the ASSOCHAM study on "Cluster Development for Inclusive Growth in Orissa" National Secretary General, D. S. Rawat said, "The total funds required for basic and essential infrastructure to these clusters will be about Rs. 480 crores. Once functional, it will contribute additional 10% revenues per annum to the exchequer, help in inclusive growth and simultaneously lead to upgradation of existing clusters.

…  In the state, there are only 26 clusters in the state recognized by the Central government as against 6500 clusters in the country out of which 450 are assisted by the government. The 16 new clusters suggested by ASSOCHAM are: Palasa (Cashew), Buditi (Brass & Bell Metal), Baripada (Sabai Grass), Dhenkanal (Powerloom), Puri (Rice Mills), Bhadrak (Rice Mill Cluster), Dhamara (Ice Plant), Basudevpur (Ice Plant), Chandbali (Chuda Cluster), Tihdi (Chuda Cluster), Basudevpur (Chuda Cluster), Bhandaripokhari (Honey), Dhamara (Honey), Betaligaon (Wood Carving), Olaga (Wood Carving) and Dhusuri (Wood Carving).

The MSME sector contributes around 40% to GDP with an estimated value of goods and services around Rs. 20 lakh crore in 2009-10. The sector is estimated to employ about 5.9 crore people in over 2.6 crore units in the country and has consistently registered a higher growth rate than the rest of the industrial sector. There are over 6000 products ranging from traditional to high-tech items, which are being manufactured by the MSMEs in India.

Balasore poised to take advantage of its location between two PCPIRs in Haldia and Paradip; Foundation stone laid for an Advanced Plastic Processing Technology Centre (APPTC)

Balasore, Balasore- Chandipur, CENTER & ODISHA, PCPIR, Plastic products cluster - Balasore 2 Comments »

Following is an excerpt from a report in Pioneer.

… Balasore, which has around 70 per cent of the State’s plastic units, would soon turn into a plastic industry hub with this training centre while a plastic park is also in the offing and the work under the Industrial Up-gradation Scheme is in progress. Jena informed that Balasore is very strategically located between two upcoming Petrochemical Investment Regions at Nayachar, Haldia, and Paradip. There is potential for Balasore to be the hub of Plastics Industrial Corridor stretching on the East Coast of India.

Establishment of the APPTC at Balasore would act as a catalyst to stimulate growth of plastic industries in general and plastics processing industries in particular, he said. He said cooperation between the Centre and State is required for development.

State’s Minister of Industries and Steel and Mines Raghunath Mohanty said the APPTC’s intake for this year would be 150 and 100, respectively, for skilled and short-term courses while the full-fledged intake would be 480. The APPTC is being established by the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET) on an area of 8 acres of land allotted by the State Government at a cost of `15 crore, which is being shared equally by the Central and State Governments.

Union Secretary of Chemicals & Petrochemicals M Raman informed that a proposal of the State Government to set up a PCPIR at Paradip has been recommended by the high-powered committee and its final approval is expected shortly. The total employment generation from the OPCPIR is expected to be about 6,48,000 persons, comprising of direct employment to 2.27 lakh and indirect employment to 4.21 lakh.

Balasore should also try to take advantage of its proximity to IIT Kharagpur.

“Advanced Plastic Processing Technology Centre” to be Set up at Balasore in Orissa: PIB

Balasore, Balasore- Chandipur, Plastic products cluster - Balasore Comments Off on “Advanced Plastic Processing Technology Centre” to be Set up at Balasore in Orissa: PIB

Update: Following is an excerpt from a report in Times of India.

Source said, the centre may come up at Baliapal, nearly 30 km from Balasore, where government buildings built at the cost of Rs 4.5 crore during the late 80s are lying unutilised. Last year an experts’ team from CIPET had visited the spot and submited a report to the government. The infrastructure has been built on around 150 acres of land under the rehabilitation package during the proposed National Test Range (NTR) which was stalled in 1992 due to vehement opposition.


Following is from the PIB release http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=66602.

Plastics have become the key drivers of innovation and application development. Plastics processing or product manufacturing industries is evincing increased competition worldwide due to globalization of the plastics trade. In the prevailing scenario of liberalization, an obvious preference goes to global supplier, who can deliver the qualitative products at any location within stipulated time frame across the globe. Due to globalization of trade and cost pressure, plastics industry in Indian context is looking forward to exploit the opportunities available in the export as well as domestic market. This would facilitate establishment of large-scale production facilities and processing plants to cater to the requirements of user industry.

Around 70% of the plastics industries of Orissa are situated in and around Balasore. It is also envisioned that during the end of XI Five Year Plan, around 100 more plastics processing industries are expected to be established. Establishment of Plastic Park and the upcoming Plastics Processing Industries in and around Balasore will boost the requirement of well trained technical manpower for the Plastics Industry. 

The raw materials availability for the plastic industries in Balasore can further be increased to ensure sustainable development as one petrochemical complex is coming up at Paradeep (to be developed by IOC). 

Balasore is also an industrially developed district, two sea ports are coming up near Dhamra and Chudamani. With the constant efforts of the local Member of Parliament and Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Srikant Kumar Jena, it has been decided to set up an Advanced Plastic Processing Technology Centre (APPTC) at Balasore to meet the increasing requirements of the trained technical manpower for the plastic industry. Establishing APPTC – a Unit of CIPET Bhubaneswar will not only result in fulfilling the requirement of additional skilled Technical Manpower in the area of Plastics Processing but also will facilitate in rendering the Technology Support Services. 

APPTC will fill up the demand & supply gap of skilled manpower of the processing industry in the Eastern region of the country by conducting long-term & short-term training programs in the areas of Plastics Processing Technologies. 

The Planning Commission has approved the establishment of APPTC in Balasore at a total project cost of Rs.1500 lacs. CIPET Corporate at Chennai would be the Apex Body directing and controlling the project activities as per the directives of Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Government of India. The State Government of Odisha has also agreed to share 50% of its cost and provide land for setting up of APPTC at Balasore. 

Benefits of Establishing the APPTC at Balasore: 

• During the first year of its establishment, the centre is expected to train & develop around 150 students in the field of plastic processing through long-term academic programmes and around 100 participants through short duration training programmes in the areas of plastic processing technology. 

• Once the APPTC become full-fledged, the total intake of the students for long term courses will be 480 for three long term courses. In addition, the APPTC will also train 250 technical personnel from plastic industry every year through short term technology upgradation programmes. 

• The APPTC centre at Balasore will also play a catalytic role in providing technology support services to the plastic & allied industries in around Balasore where a Plastic Park is being planned. Further, it is expected that more than 150 plastics processing / allied industries are likely to be started. This will boost the skilled manpower requirement in the area of plastics processing. In addition, as Balasore is well connected with other parts of the State and also the neighbouring States, the industries located at these places will also utilize the services of Balasore Plastics Park. 

The dream of establishing a dedicated specialized centre on “Advanced Plastic Processing Technology Centre – (APPTC)” at Balasore, Orissa – a unit of CIPET, Bhubaneswar at Balasore has become a reality mainly on account of constant persuasion and sustained efforts made by Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers. 

DNM/PKM


This is good. But the publicity is somewhat disproportional with respect to only a 15 crore project out of which the state is responsible for 50%. Other central ministers get much more for their states. Some recent examples are:

  • Mamata Banerjee’s gifts to W. Bengal with respect to Railways and metro.
  • W. Bengal minister’s support to get approval of 500+ crores for converting BESU to IIEST.
  • Recent attempts by Pranab Mukherjee to get 500 crores for IIT Kharagpur expansion.

AILPL announces opening of two new integrated Logistics Parks in Haldia and Kalinganagar

Apeejay, Industrial Parks, Jajpur, Jajpur Rd- Vyasanagar- Duburi- Kalinganagar, Mettalurgical Cluster - Jajpur (Kalinganagar) Comments Off on AILPL announces opening of two new integrated Logistics Parks in Haldia and Kalinganagar

Following is an excerpt from a report in indiablooms.

Apeejay Infralogistics Private Limited (AILPL), a 50:50 JV of Apeejay Surrendra Group, and UK based Eredene Capital PLC, on Thursday announced the opening of two new integrated Logistics Parks in West Bengal’s Haldia and Kalinganagar in Orissa’s Jajpur.

The strategically located facilities providing around 1.0 million sq ft of warehousing space represent combined investments of over Rs. 250 crores.

… Karan Paul, Chairman of Apeejay Surrendra Group, said , “West Bengal and Orissa – both states are attractive investment destinations with forward looking government policies that favour setting up infrastructure projects such as Logistics Parks. Located in the commercial hubs, I am confident that these two integrated facilities will boost trade not only in the two states but the region as a whole. ”

The facilities at Kalinganagar under phase-1 will include 120,000 sq ft for domestic and contract warehousing and 175,000 sq ft for open storage and project cargo. On completion the Kalinganagar complex will have capacity to handle over 2500 containers for EXIM and have covered warehouse of over 250,000 sq ft in addition to hospitality, commercial and retail space.

The 30 acre Kalinganagar Logistics Park is being set up with an initial operational area of 16 acres covering 10 acres for Inland Container Depot to handle 1500 EXIM containers and 22,600 sq ft of Bonded ware house.

The facility is equipped with the state’s first fully purpose-built Container Freight Station cum transport hub and warehouse facility specifically targeting the in-bound and out-bound cargo of the steel & mineral industry to provide a truly multi modal solution.

… Nikhil Naik, Director Eredene Capital PLC, said: “We are confident that both these Logistics Parks will play a key role in the development of the Eastern Region by adopting high standards in the supply chain network and by providing real value additions to customers.”

… Designed as gateways through which companies can manage their entire supply chain logistics the two Logistics Parks provide multi functional facilities for storage, distribution, transportation, ancillary support services and trade facilitation, all under one roof for end to end logistical support.

Balancing industrialization related land acquisition with people’s livelihood and their rights

Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jajpur Rd- Vyasanagar- Duburi- Kalinganagar, Land acquisition, Mettalurgical Cluster - Jajpur (Kalinganagar), Paradip - Jatadhari - Kujanga, POSCO, Steel, Tatas 3 Comments »

Following is an excerpt from a report in LA Times about the Nano plant in Gujarat and how some of the landlosers have managed their finances.

But Pathan, and scores like him who live in the shadow of a new factory built by Tata Motors to make its ultra-cheap Nano car, are the beneficiaries of the race to transform India from a nation of small farmers to an industrialized power.

… Against this backdrop of strife, Pathan’s story is the ideal of what could be achieved if the more than 50 percent of Indians who live off the land get a real stake in the new economy. It’s a principle that advocates of market capitalism and human rights activists can agree on, but that often fails to materialize across rural India, where stories of powerful business interests and corrupt officials conspiring to throw poor farmers off their land are all too common.

Around the Tata plant in Sanand, in the western state of Gujarat, people have begun to talk of the "Nano effect."

Go down a narrow lane that runs to dirt not 15 minutes from the factory and amid the gamboling goats of Chharodi village, you will find 25 new homes.

Property prices have risen sharply — from 50 to 400 percent — and men are making fortunes brokering land deals.

The village head says three dozen of the 3,000 people in Chharodi have gotten work from contractors. The Nano factory hasn’t given them jobs directly, but it has offered a toehold in the industrial economy. They remain farmers, but a growing part of their income comes from informal business ventures or work for contractors.

Pathan and his three brothers sold the government one-third of their family farm to make way for the Nano plant. They were paid 20 million rupees ($432,900) — a fortune even in Gujarat, one of India’s richest states.

Ask the Pathan brothers what they did with this money, and they grin like schoolboys.

They bought 2.7 hectares (6.6 acres) of land — more than doubling their initial landholding — three kilometers (two miles) away, where they are preparing to plant their first crop.

They bought seven tractors and three Bolero jeeps, which they use for contracting work at the Nano site, raking in 455,000 rupees ($9,848) a month.

They are rebuilding their family home. Gone is the mud and thatch. Today their angular concrete two-story is the biggest on the block.

"You’ve done a damn good job out here," Pathan says of Ratan Tata, who heads the Tata group’s sprawling industrial empire.

The underlined part above is an important part. If the land losers are paid multiple times the "current" value of their land, in most places they can easily buy more than that amount of land within a few kms.

Following is an excerpt from a Nageswar Patnaik article in Economic Times

There is something to cheer about for the families displaced by the Tata Steel Project at Kalinganagar. These families have achieved zero dropout rate at elementary school level, sustainable environment, poverty eradication, increase in literacy rate, gender equality, empowerment of women.

The achievers of these challenging Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are not highly educated and extraordinary urbanite people, but ordinary members of self-help groups residing in rehabilitation colonies at Kalinga Nagar in Orissa’s Jajpur district.

Helped by country’s major steel producer, Tata Steel, the self-help groups called Tata Steel Parivars (TSPs) have successfully ensured that all children living in the colony went to the school and got education. Tata Steel is setting up of a 6-million ton per annum integrated steel plant at Kalinganagar Industrial Complex at Kalinga Nagar in Jajpur district.

“The noteworthy achievement of Tata Steel Parivars [TSP] at Kalinganagar is that those families have achieved the target of 100% elementary education with zero school drop out rate,” says Sukanta Rout, an educationist who played a crucial role in motivating the children, mostly tribals, to go to the school.

As many as 159 tribal children have been enrolled in the residential schools in Jajpur district. Similarly, 50 children have got the opportunity of studying in one of the premier schools of the state – Kalinga Institute of Social Science (KISS), here. As many as 213 children are studying in schools as day scholars.

Simultaneously, there is significant jump in the literacy levels of the TSPs from 45% in 2005 to 65% in 2010.

Most significantly, there has been an incredible and drastic change in the will power of women of these relocated families. The empowered women community are now self-employed and going overboard for what they are doing. They have engaged themselves in poultry farming, gardening, stone carving, saura painting and in setting up of small industries like phenyl and pickles.

“A few years before, we were quite poor, – we did not have money to even buy food, let alone send our children to school. Now with own our income, we are not only meeting our day-today expenses but also support our school and college-going children,” says Jamiti Mahanta, head of an SHG group.

If the industries that are coming up in Odisha, such as POSCO and Vedanta, can be made to do the above and perhaps more then it will be a win-win situation for all. POSCO’s current package seems to be a step in the right direction. Following is an excerpt from a Business Standard article on that.

Posco, the biggest foreign direct investment (FDI) in India at $12 billion (Rs 54,000 crore), has offered the largest ever compensation package in the country for the displaced and landless farmers.

The Rs 400 crore compensation — part of its estimated project cost — announced by Posco India for Orissa, is expected to benchmark industry relief in the country. The package will benefit over 2000 encroachers and landless labourers at the Posco site.

While Rs 100 crore will be provided for the acquisition of government and private land, Rs 100 crore will be given towards building a rehabilitation colony and Rs 200 crore as compensation to encroachers of government land.

The move – including encroachers of government land and landless labourers earning their livelihood from the area – was beyond the prescription of the state or national rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) policies.

While fixing the price of private land at Rs 17 lakh per acre, the Rehabilitation and Periphery Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) for the Posco project announced a compensation of Rs 11.5 lakh an acre for the loss of betel vines, most of which are on government land. There are about 1,877 betel vines in the site covering 300 acres.

Landless labourers working in the betel vines will get 20 per cent of the total compensation for the loss, which is over and above the amount paid to the owners of the areas where betel is grown.

Similarly, RPDAC has prescribed assistance of Rs 2 lakh per acre for owners of the prawn gheris — most of which are operating on government land — and Rs 1 lakh an acre for farmers using government land for agriculture.

In a never-before step, the South Korean steel giant’s package will pay an unemployment allowance of Rs 2,250 a month to the landless labourers, who will lose their livelihood following the acquisition, till they are provided job by the company. Capping it all, RPDAC has decided to provide alternative housing to families who had encroached and built their houses on government land.

In comparison, the compensation package for sharecroppers or landless labourers in Bengal’s Singur was 25 per cent of what the land owner received — for a single-crop Rs 2 lakh and Rs 3 lakh for double-crop farmland. In Nayachar, the West Bengal government had promised to rehabilitate 100-150 fishermen families who had encroached upon government land — the site for a chemical hub.

The rate is also more than what neighbouring Chhattisgarh is offering. The government there recently hiked the compensation to Rs 10 lakh for an acre for two-crop farmland, Rs 8 lakh an acre for single-crop un-irrigated land and Rs 6 lakh for barren land.

The captive mines given to these companies and the royalty rate is a different issue. I believe that currently the royalty given to the state is too little.

Kalinganagar shaping up: Jajpur Cluster Development Limited in operation; Tata Steel townships taking shape

Jajpur, Jajpur Rd- Vyasanagar- Duburi- Kalinganagar, Mettalurgical Cluster - Jajpur (Kalinganagar), Steel, Tatas Comments Off on Kalinganagar shaping up: Jajpur Cluster Development Limited in operation; Tata Steel townships taking shape

The website of Jajpur Cluster Development Limited is http://www.jcdl.in/. As per the page http://www.jcdl.in/about.htm Kalinganagar Industries Association (KIA), an association of industries in the Kalinganagar Industrial Complex holds 51% equity capital in JCDL whereas the equity held by IDCO is 49%. The members of the KIA are:

1

M/s. TATA Steel

2

M/s. JINDAL Stainless

3

M/s. VISA Steel

4

M/s. Maithan Ispat Limited

5

M/s. Rohit Ferrotech

6

M/s. K.J. Ispat

7

M/s. Dinabandhu Steel & Power Ltd.

8

M/s. Pradhan Industries

9

M/s. MESCO

As per http://www.jcdl.in/app_proj.htm the following projects have been approved for implementation.

Sl. No.

Component

Approved Cost
(Rs. Crore)

1. Augmentation of water supply scheme  14.00
2. Strengthening and up-gradation of Old Military road 26.00
3 . Road development in Utility corridors 30.60
4 . Setting up of Central Tool Room 3.00
5. Up-gradation of power distribution infrastructure  4.50
6. Development of common facilities centre including Information & Communication infrastructure 2.50
 

TOTAL PROJECT COST

80.60

Tathya.in has a report on the Trijanga township buil by Tata Steel in this area. Following are some excerpts

Eco-friendly atmosphere, planned township, wide concrete roads, round the clock power supply, piped water supply, permanent eco-management and drainage system with lush greenery are something, which even some of the modern townships in the country do not have.

But the new township established by Tata Steel Paribar in Trijanga in Jajpur has all these facilities and much beyond. …

The Company apart from providing 0.1 acres of homestead land and Rs 2.5 lakhs for house construction to relocated families had several round of discussions with them while planning for their new home at Trijanga Rehabilitation Colony.

While It has provided all the basic amenities like water supply, electricity supply, ration, community space, grain storage facility, children’s recreation park, toilets, welfare office, balwadis, dispensary etc, the sprawling greenery that has come up in last two years is for one to see it to believe it.

The colourful houses with dish antennas besides concrete paved roads with avenue plantation and permanent drains shows the commitment of Tata Steel to usher in a better quality of life for the rehabilitated families in Trijanga.

16 km all weather motorable roads, 32km of drainage, solid waste and garbage management through dedicated agencies has been provided.

The Company has also provided sodium vapor halogen lamps for street lighting.

Tata Steel Parivar members are also now use safe portable drinking water from running taps and consume 500 watts per family electricity.

Youths of Parivar member use Community centre for recreational purposes provided by the Company.

Round the clock health care facility is being provided in Trijanga Rehabilitation Colony through a dispensary and 24 hours standby ambulance services.

All of this hard work of rehabilitated tribals in a better atmosphere has blossomed into emerging township where rural and Urban Odisha co-exist. …

JSL to establish a 704 Crore steel park in Kalinganagar

Jajpur, Jajpur Rd- Vyasanagar- Duburi- Kalinganagar, Jindal, Mettalurgical Cluster - Jajpur (Kalinganagar), Steel ancilaries 1 Comment »

Following is an excerpt from an IANS report.

JSL Ltd, formerly Jindal Stainless Ltd, signed an agreement with the Orissa government Wednesday to set up a stainless steel park in the state on an investment of Rs.704 crore.

The park would be set up adjacent to its 1.6 million tonne per annum integrated steel project coming up at Kalinga Nagar industrial complex in Jajpur district, …

… The project, to be built on 300 acres, will have 71 units, including a service centre.

More details are in an article in Orissadiary. Following are some excerpts.

JSL Vice – Chairman Jindal said the proposed park would generate direct and indirect employment opportunities for about 3800 and1200 persons, respectively. He added that the project would ensure high tax receipts of around Rs 140 crore for the state government in the first five years in terms of excise and income tax value added products. As per the MoU, JSL will develop the park and provide all infrastructures like boundary wall, roads, drains, research and development centre, power and water supply, railway network, township, school and hospital.

Architectural products, surgical and hospital equipment, hardware, stamping and forging, cold rolling, and re-rolling mills, tube and pipes, heat exchangers, heavy machinery capital goods, kitchenware, lifestyle products and stainless steel composite panel manufacturing units will come up in the park. To mark on the occasion, five companies Empowertrans Private Limited, Jagadamba Exports, Jupitor India, Kraftsware Limited and Kitechen Essentials signed MoUs with the JSL Limited government to set up down stream industries.

EOI for adding new and upgrading existing infrastructure at Ganeswarpur, Somnathpur and Balgopalpur industrial estates (Balasore, Odisha) under the IIUS scheme

Balasore, Balasore- Chandipur, IDCO, Plastic products cluster - Balasore Comments Off on EOI for adding new and upgrading existing infrastructure at Ganeswarpur, Somnathpur and Balgopalpur industrial estates (Balasore, Odisha) under the IIUS scheme

Following was obtained from a pdf file at the IDCO web site.

Three mini-clusters proposed: Granite custer in Berhampur; Sponge Iron cluster in Bonai Rourkela; Handicraft cluster in Khurda

Balasore, Balasore- Chandipur, Berhampur- Gopalpur- Chhatrapur, Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Central govt. schemes, Ganjam, Granite Cluster in Berhampur, Handicraft cluster in Khurda, Khordha, Rourkela- Kansbahal, Sponge Iron Cluster in Bonai, Sundergarh 1 Comment »

(Thanks to Future Berhampur blog for the pointer.)

Following is an excerpt from a report in Business Standard.

The Centre has approved the development of four different sectors in Orissa including granite through the cluster approach under the Lean Manufacturing Competitiveness Scheme (LMCS).

These clusters include the Ganjam Granite cluster at Berhampur, the handicrafts cluster of the Khurda-based Trishakti Self Help Group (SHG), Sponge Iron cluster at Bonai near Rourkela and plastic cluster at Balasore.

New Delhi-based National Productivity Council (NPC) has been chosen as the nodal agency for the implementation of these cluster units. The formation of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) is necessary for the formal declaration of these cluster units.

“We have already taken steps to form the SPV for the granite cluster at Berhampur”, said Santosh Kumar Bebarta, secretary, Ganjam Granite Cluster. Once all the formalities are completed, the granite cluster will be launched, said B B Dhal, general manager, District Industry Centre (DIC), Ganjam. The deadline for the functioning of the proposed granite cluster is December 31 this year. The SPV of the particular cluster could get a funding up to Rs 10 crore from the Centre for setting up of the Common Service Centre (CSC).

The web page for the Lean Manufacturing Competitiveness Scheme (LMCS) is http://www.dcmsme.gov.in/schemes/lean-manufact.htm. In the pilot phase 100 mini-clusters have been proposed.

 


I hope the above pointers will be useful for readers to approach people and officials in their local area to pursue mini-clusters under the above scheme.

Kudos to MP Srikant Jena for getting 51 crores for the Balasore plastic cluster

Balasore, Odisha MPs, Plastic products cluster - Balasore Comments Off on Kudos to MP Srikant Jena for getting 51 crores for the Balasore plastic cluster

Bargarh and Sonepur among the 20 pilot Handloom Clusters of India

Bargarh, Bargarh, Cottage industry and Handlooms, Handloom Clusters, MSE - medium and small enterprises, Rural artisan villages, Sambalpuri Sarees, Sambaplur- Burla- Bargarh- Chipilima, Sonepur, Sonepur Comments Off on Bargarh and Sonepur among the 20 pilot Handloom Clusters of India

(Thanks to http://kddf.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/information-about-subarnapur-district-handloom-cluster/  for the inspiration to write about this.)

The following is from the pages http://www.indianhandloomscluster-dchl.net/index.asp.

The overall handloom situation in Orissa is as per the following table:

DISTRICT WISE CLASSIFICATION OF HANDLOOMS AS PER CENSUS 1995-96

No. of Looms

Up to 1000

1000-5000

5,000 – 10,000

10,000-25,000

25,000 – 50,000

Above 50,000

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

STATE : ORISSA

 

Deogarh

Angul

Bolangir

Bargarh

 

 

 

Gajapati

Bhadrak

Cuttack

 

 

 

 

Jharsuguda

Dhenkanal

Ganjam

 

 

 

 

Keraput

Kendrapara

Nayagarh

 

 

 

 

Malkanagiri

Keenjhar

Sonepur

 

 

 

 

Nawarangapur

Nuapara

 

 

 

 

 

Phulbani

Puri

 

 

 

 

 

Rayagada

Sambalpur

 

 

 

 

 

Sundargarh

Kalahandi

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balasera

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boudh

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jagatsinghpur

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jajpur

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mayurbhanj

 

 

 

 

 

 

Khurda

 

 

 

 

 

9

15

5

1

 

 30

 


Among those, Bargarh and Sonepur are among the 20 pilot clusters.

The page for the Baragarh cluster is http://www.indianhandloomscluster-dchl.net/Bargarh/Index.asp. Following is some information from that page.

Bargarh Handloom cluster is spread over the entire Block of Bargarh, Attabira, Bijepur and Sohella. The cluster has 7158 numbers of looms as per the survey report of the zonal Handloom office taken up during the year 2004 out of which 5102 looms are working in 299 different villages. The main products of the cluster are cotton sarees of tie and dye and small amount of dress materials, lungis and napkins etc. The annual production is around 10 Crores rupees. The products of this area are mostly marketed in Orissa and National market. The cluster so to say represents Orissa in quantitative and qualitative Tie and Dye Cotton Sarees as no other clusters of other districts in Orissa produces such sarees.

… The weaving in the cluster by the traditional weavers’ community popularly known as "Bhulia" came in to existence during mid of 17th  century and with increase in their population, they spread to other nearby places. They initially belong to Rajasthan and were presented during the 14th  century to the ruler of Patna State, a king of Chouhan dynasty "Ramai Deb". Later on they were presented to the king of Sonepur during the 16th  century and scattered to the nearby district i.e., Bargarh in the next century.

The cluster consists sizable number of professional weavers (Non traditional) from Schedule Caste and  Schedule Tribe (Kuli caste) weavers, which in total accounts for 60 %. Generally these weavers are less skilled and engaged in production of Napkin, Lungi,  Sarees, Dhotis, etc.

Weaving with Tie dye in the cluster prior to 40”s was done with 40”/42” looms operated with hanging slay and engaged in producing Kapta, Lungi and Napkins made of 12’s/16’s/20’s cotton yarn. The yarns were dyed with vegetable colours. The main colours were Yellow (from Turmeric), Maroon (From bark of Aal tree), Blue form Nile and Black (From Hirakasi and Chakda Seeds). Fabrics of vegetable colours were sometimes not fast and ranges of colours were also limited, forcing the Tie-Dye production in to limited colours and so also the design. Such practice was on vogue till the mid of 40s when vat colour was first substituted for in place   of some vegetable colours.

The next major changes in the cluster took place with the introduction of twisted cotton mercerized yarn and synthetic colours in the early 60’s. The looms started widening mainly to 52" width for normal sarees and other production and 90" for double bed sheet production. There were also few 60” / 72" looms to accommodate weaving of middle-sized bed sheets.

Activities in the cluster started taking momentum with the involvement of Late Padmashree Dr. Krutartha Acharya and his four associates in the cluster area during 1942 and started their business with production on limited numbers of looms. Later he converted his business in to a co operative society named Sambalpuri Bastralaya, registered during the year 1954 under "Bihar and Orissa Co operative Societies Act" and established in Bargarh town. This is the first firm in the cluster, which took the leadership in weaving activities of cluster and stood as a milestone in its history.

… Unlike the Tie-Dye work of other states of India, the motif and designs of the cluster are infinite in number and every motif or design is categorized under a special caption. No design is let out without giving it a name. It shows the creative mind of the weavers of the region.

The page for the Sonepur cluster is http://www.indianhandloomscluster-dchl.net/Sonepur/Index.asp. Following is some information from that page.

The writing in the stones of Kahandagiri cave Orissa suggests that the art of weaving was in Orissa before 600 B.C. Similarly some carving in the temples of Sonepur cluster (Baidyanath) indicates that weaving was in existence in the area during prior to 9th B.C. Besides weaving with cotton yarn, there was also weaving with wild silk (Tassar), wool and fibers from stem of lotus. The tie-dye weaving in western Orissa came in to existence during mid of 14th century when 100 weaver’s families were brought from Raipur area of Madhya Pradesh by the then ruler of Patnagarh Sri Ramai Dev. The weavers’ later on titled as Meher and their caste known as Bhulia. Such weavers were traditionally weaving the tie and dye fabrics. Orissa has also history of exporting handloom to south-east Asia countries like Thailand, Java, Borrneo and Sumatra (Last three are Island of Indonesia) during pre-independence period in sea route. It is therefore also the bank of river Mahanadi and some other big river of Orissa has developed weaving culture.

The Bomkai Designs are the traditional designs in production in the village named Bomkai in Ganjam District of Orissa. Latter on it is introduced in Sonepur. Before 1950’s the main product mix of this cluster was cotton sari and Dhotis. The main occupation of "Bhulia" community was weavings. Weavers had looms of short width and they used to weave cotton sari of length 12ft and its width was 36 inches. During that period, cotton yarn of (10 to 40) counts were available in the market.

Weavers by own used to sell woven sari at nearby locally market and whatever they got remuneration by selling the sari, they used to brought yarn for further weaving. During this period, due to absence of chemical dyes, mainly vegetable dye was used to dye the yarn. Vegetable dye had limited colours i,e yellow (From Turmeric), Maroon (From bark of Aal trees), Blue (Nile) and black (Hirakasi and Chakda seeds). The colour of vegetable dyes was not fast in the fabrics. The vegetable dye has limited ranges of colour that limit the design of tie & dye fabrics. During mid of 1950’s the late Padamshree Sri Kruthartha Acharya was the up-coming entrepreneur in handloom sector. He was belonging to Bargarh sub-division which was neighbouring district of Sonepur. He had installed 200 looms at Sonepur and established a unit for producing handloom sarees. During mid of 1960’s, lots of modifications were done to upgrade the handloom sector of Sonepur. The widths of looms were widening up to (48 to 50) inches; mercerized yarns of finer quality (60 counts) were introduced. Shri Kruthartha Acharya also introduced chemical dyes. Many weavers were trained to adopt the change. Due to introduction of chemical dye, the ranges of colour shed were increased which helps the weavers to produce variety of design in tie and dye fabrics. Slowly other weavers of the cluster adopted the new technology. Dr Acharya also searched other market by promoting the Sonepur product in other States by participating in exhibition and fair conducted by handloom department, Govt. of India. He also used to purchase the woven sari from weaver and used to supply raw materials and design to them. This helped the weavers to only concentrate on production work instead of marketing the products. Latter on during 1954, Dr. Achaya converted his firm into cooperative society named Sambalpuri Bastrayala Handloom Cooperative Society Ltd, Bargarh, which is at present stand as a leading PWCS of not only the State but also of the country. During mid Seventies G.O.O. initiated a corporation called Orissa Handloom Development Corporation which grew and decayed in two decades and has been liquidated recently. The other major changes taken place in the cluster was introduction of silk yarn in early 1980’s. The body part of silk fabric was woven with silk yarn and Anchal by cotton tie and dye. It took two – three years to develop Jala design which helped the weaver to design the fabric in simple way. This Bomkai design were developed in the late 80’s and introduced in early 1990’s in the cluster. Since then, the permutation and combination of designs involving in tie-dye, Bomkai, Jala etc are practicing in the cluster. Latter on Body design was also developed to make the fabric more attractive and Zari were used to add value to the fabric. Weaver co-operative societies were the major firms operating in the handloom sectors. These societies were large in number during mid of 90’s. The entry of private entrepreneurs and private traders started from 1980’s. Padamshri Chaturbhuj Meher had entered in this sector in early 1980’s and had great contribution in this sector. On the other hand gradual reduce in the Government subsidies, declining support from apex WCS, closure of Handloom Development corporation and mismanagement at the primary wcs level are the main reasons of reduction in the number of active co-operative societies. Unlike the Tie-Dye work in the other part of India, the motif and design of the cluster are infinite in number and every motif or design is characterized under a special caption. No design is let out without giving it a name. It shows the creative mind of the weavers of region. Orissa had 129236 (1951), 119005 (1987) and 92869 (1996) as per the handloom figure census, which shows the continuous decline in the loom position. The total looms in Sonepur district is 7243 (As per the survey conducted by ADT office Sonepur). The product mixes are cotton sari, silk sari and dress material. The total production of the cluster in the Co-Operative Sector is Rs 985.46 lacs.

Further steps towards a plastic park and plastic cluster in Balasore

Balasore, Balasore- Chandipur, Baripada- Bangiriposi- Similipal foothills, Plastic products cluster - Balasore, TOI, Economic Times Comments Off on Further steps towards a plastic park and plastic cluster in Balasore

Following is an excerpt from a report in TimesofIndia.

The Union government is planning to develop such parks in the state with state-of-the-art infrastructure for the plastic industry and if everything works out according to plan, Balasore will have the country’s first such park. Inspired by the success of software technology parks across the nation, the Centre is planning to set up these parks, which will provide raw materials, power and land for plastic companies.

Moreover, the companies will also be helped to market their products. These parks are expected to generate huge direct and indirect employment. A technical team led by Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology director general S K Nayak, was recently here to survey the feasibility of the project. "We held a meeting with local industrialists who were given a broad idea about the plastic park and its facilities. The response was good. We will submit a report to the Union government and later have a discussion with the state government for land and other facilities. At least 250 acres of land is required for the project," said Nayak.

According to sources, Balasore, which is known as the plastic hub of the state, has about 42 plastic companies with a combined turnover of more than Rs 200 crore. While all the companies come under the small scale industry category, the range of products include plastic pipes, pipe fittings, furniture, woven sack bags, polythene bags and sheets and general moulded items.

"As plastic has become an integral part of everyday life, the Centre is planning the park, which would house at least 100 companies. Existing industries can shift their units to the park and new units can also be set up. Since several facilities are being offered at the park, it will attract new entrepreneurs. We are excited to have the park in the region," Balasore Chamber of Industries and Commerce president Himanshu Das said. "The park will promote development and growth of the plastic industry. It will provide land and efficient power supply at subsidised rate. There will be a bank, common raw material depot, testing centre, common tool room for maintenance and finally an effective marketing system within the park," he said.

This apart, the government of Orissa is also planning to start a "plastic cluster" at Balasore. The Union government has already approved 14 clusters out of 20 notified by the state government for Central assistance.

"Two proposals – one plastic cluster at Balasore and another engineering cluster at Mancheswar have been sent to the Union government for assistance under Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme. Each of these units will avail Rs 60 crore under the scheme," said an official. The team also visited some unutilized government buildings built at the cost of Rs 4.5 crore at Baliapal during the late 80s. The structures were built on around 150 acres of land under the rehabilitation package during the proposed National Test Range which was stalled in 1992 due to vehement opposition.

"We are planning to start the technical training institute here. …

Kudos to Balasore MP and MOS Srikant Jena for playing a major behind the scenes role on this. Now if only Hemanada Biswal, the chair of the labor committee which has a MOS rank, would show similar leadership with respect to Sundergarh and Rourkela. 

News on some industry clusters that are in the works in Orissa: Plastic product cluster in Balasore, Engineering cluster in Mancheswar, Metallurgical cluster in Kalinganagar, Aluminum park in Angul

Anugul- Talcher - Saranga- Nalconagar, Balasore- Chandipur, Bhubaneswar- Cuttack- Puri, Engineering Cluster - Mancheswar, Jajpur Rd- Vyasanagar- Duburi- Kalinganagar, Mettalurgical Cluster - Jajpur (Kalinganagar), Plastic products cluster - Balasore Comments Off on News on some industry clusters that are in the works in Orissa: Plastic product cluster in Balasore, Engineering cluster in Mancheswar, Metallurgical cluster in Kalinganagar, Aluminum park in Angul

Following is an excerpt from a release by the Resident Commissioner of Orissa:

Shri Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister, Orissa met Shri Anand Sharma, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry at New Delhi and discussed various issues pertaining to development of Industry Clusters and handicrafts in Orissa.

The Union Minister also agreed to the proposal of the State Government for providing infrastructure support for development of industrial clusters under the Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme (IIUS) of GoI for the clusters located at Balasore (Plastic Products Cluster) at a project cost of Rs 62.50 crore and another at Mancheswar (Engineering Cluster) at a project cost of Rs 61crore. He complimented the State Government for smooth implementation of the Metallurgical Cluster Project in Jajpur (Kalinganagar) which has already been sanctioned for Orissa under the IIUS.

Following is from Samaja:

In the following Business standard reports on progress on the proposed Aluminum park in Angul.

The proposed aluminium park of the public sector National Aluminium Company (Nalco) at Angul in Orissa, which was mired in uncertainty, is finally set to see the light of the day.

The proposed venture will be set up jointly by Nalco and the state owned Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation of Orissa (Idco). The two partners are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard soon.

Sources said, Nalco and Idco will have equal stake in the project. …

“All the contentious issues have been resolved and the terms and conditions of the draft MoU have been agreed upon by both the partners. The signing of the MoU is a matter of technical formalities”, a senior official of the state industry department told Business Standard.

Sources said, the MoU will be signed by the end of this month and the chief minister Naveen Patnaik will lay the foundation stone for the project in the first week of September. The proposed park will come up adjacent to the existing smelter plant of Nalco at Angul.

The complex will house various downstream and ancillary aluminium industries. Though it was originally planned to develop the project over 200 acres, it has been decided to acquire 50 to 100 acres more to increase the size of the park. This will take care of the future growth requirement and creation of some social infrastructure.

… Sources said, the cost of developing the land in the park will be borne by Nalco and Idco equally and this will be recovered from the units which will come up in the park. An innovative pricing structure is proposed to be put in place for this.

The aluminium park, once fully developed, is expected to attract investment of Rs 300 to 400 crore. It may be noted, the project passed through uncertainty as the state government was earlier reluctant to join the project as a joint venture partner.